A rotatable electrical connector is disclosed in U.S. application Ser. No. 09/350,988 filed Jul. 12, 1999 entitled "Handle Operated Power Connector", the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety into this specification.
This large connector requires a relatively large force to couple and uncouple and requires a handle 42 which provides a significant mechanical advantage. Disadvantageously, this large handle 42 can interfere with moving objects nearby, particularly when the connector is mounted on a moving apparatus such as a train, railroad car or truck.
Accordingly, a need exists in the art for a retractable handle which can be conveniently stowed away in a retracted position after the connector has been put into a coupled position.